Girl Astray
by Marjorie K. Place
Summary: The second chapter in my Gone Girl series. Brody struggles to recover from the events of her abduction. Brody/LaSalle pairing.
1. I Wanna Be Bad

**A/N: This is the next chapter of my Gone Girl Series. *Sneak Peek* Not necessary to have read Gone Girl, but it would help to fill in the backstory. **

**Gator's Piano Bar**

**French Quarter**

It was a little after one a.m. when LaSalle was awoken by the sound of his cell phone. A CI was calling to tell him that his partner was in trouble. Again- Entering the bar, LaSalle made eye contact with the bartender who motioned him across the room.

Brody was sitting alone at a table milking a whiskey and water. Whiskey aside, several empty shot glasses littered the table. From the looks of things she was having one hell of a party.

Hanging back, LaSalle took a moment to survey her appearance; lips falsely colored, heavy mascara and a dress to die for. That dress! Normally, such a number was reserved for women several years Brody's junior, but tonight she was rockin' it. He was surprised that she was sitting alone. She must have been flashing her badge to ward off predators and from the looks of things there were plenty of them.

"You want some company?" LaSalle asked, taking the chair across from her.

Brody looked at him and then downed the rest of her drink. Now that her partner had shown up her party would turn into a bust. "I was just about to go dance. You can either join me or sit there."

Pulling to her feet, she strutted across the dance floor towards a burley looking construction worker type and flashed her most flirtatious grin. It was the kind of grin that most men assumed would lead to a tryst in a bathroom stall.

Oh boy, LaSalle thought. She was in a mood tonight. For several months, now his partner had been a funk. Kidnapped and tortured by a vengeful terrorist had changed her. Though her physical wounds had healed the emotional wounds were bleeding out like a major artery had clipped by a bullet.

He needed to step in and do something he reasoned as he watched the beefy looking man accept her invitation and slide his hand to her waist. Straightening, Chris moved to the dance floor just as Brody's arms wound around the man's neck.

"Sorry, she's with me." He said, attempting to push his way in between Brody and new suitor.

"Don't look like it," the man retorted, allowing his hand to fall to Brody's backside.

"Look buddy, do yourself a favor and move on," Chris returned flashing his badge. The man's eyes then fell to the service weapon hanging on the agent's belt.

"Sorry baby," the man released her instantly pleading no contest, causing Brody to whirl on her partner.

"YOU RUIN EVERYTHING!" she snarled, crossing back to her table with LaSalle in tow.

Brody held up her glass, motioning to a nearby waitress, "Get me another one."

"You don't need another one." LaSalle countered taking the glass from her hand. He then reached into his pocket and tossed two twenty's on the table before taking her by the elbow. Roughly, he pulled her out to his truck.

"Get in. I'm taking you home."

Pressing herself against the passenger side door, Brody stared at him, taking in the emotion from his eyes. He was really pissed at her.

"I don't want to go home," she said defiantly attempting to side step him.

LaSalle threw his arms against the glass, blocking her escape. "I ain't playin' games with you!"

Brody suddenly sobered. "I'm not playing a game. I just want to be left alone."

"Left alone," he repeated. "So, you can do what exactly? Drink yourself stupid and whore yourself out?" This wasn't the first time she'd been out looking for way to curb her pain. Though she didn't talk about it, he had friends who kept him informed. Evidently, it was becoming her habit to play the part of a drunken siren.

LaSalle heard the sound of her hand connecting with his cheek long before he felt the sting.

"How dare you!" she blistered puffing whiskey breath into his face.

LaSalle's face twisted in anger, "You know what? I'm tired of rescuing you!"

"Rescuing me?" She laughed in a superior tone. "If you're such a hero why couldn't you save me from Fod?"

Her words bit through him like fire cutting through ice. He'd taken a bullet in the vest for her. How could she say something like that?

She watched as his face changed and knew she hit him hard. She wouldn't apologize, she was too angry for that. Instead, she hung her head.

"He hurt me," she whispered.

LaSalle let out a heavy sigh before pulling her into his arms, his chin resting on the top of her head. He knew she had been hurt; things had been done to her that no person should have to go through. Hell, he was hurting too. He just didn't know how to help her.

For several minutes she clung to him, drinking in everything he had to offer, as if it were last night on Earth.

"I can't go home," she said into his chest. For a couple of months now she'd been staying at motel just outside the French Quarter. She'd sleep there at night and then head home after the sun had come up. Nighttime was a special kind of hell for her. She supposed it had something to do with being abducted from her home in the middle of the night. For whatever reason, she wasn't about to spend a night home alone. Not there, not in that place.

LaSalle squeezed his eyes tightly shut. It hurt him to know that she was afraid to be in her own home.

"You can stay at my place," he said breathing in the scent of her hair, noting that it smelled of cigarettes and jasmine.

"What about Cade?" she asked looking up at him with doleful looking brown eyes.

"He won't mind," he released her, giving her a slight grin. "In fact, he might enjoy having another crazy person in the house."

Is that what he thought? That she was crazy?

* * *

Fifteen minutes later she was standing in his living room. Though she had been his place before she had never noticed what a bachelor pad it truly was. Alabama sports memorabilia decorated the walls of nearly most every room. Not to mention, the pool table in the den was definitely a masculine touch.

"I'll sleep on the couch. You can have my room," he said leading her towards the master suite, "the shower is in there if you want to take one."

Meredith raised her eyebrows. "Do I need one?" The truth was she had an anxiety attack every time water came into contact with her face. Fod and his men had nearly drowned her trying to get information.

"You just don't look like you is all," he smiled with embarrassment.

She pursed her lips together and nodded. "That's right you think I look like a whore."

"I shouldn't have said that," he countered quickly.

"It's okay," she said touching the side of his face so that she could examine her handiwork, "I haven't exactly been on my best behavior lately."

Chris walked to his bureau and pulled out an oversized Roll Tide T-shirt and pair of boxers.

"Boxers?" she questioned as he extended them in her direction. She had pictured him as a brief kind of guy.

"Take em or leave em," he shrugged before heading back into the living room. He had taken exactly five steps when Brody called out to him.

"Chris? Thank you for tonight."

"Get some rest, Michigan."


	2. Roll Tide

The following morning, Brody awoke to the sound of the shower. Opening her eyes, she glanced at the clock. It was little after 6 a.m. The last thing she wanted was to be awake. Being awake meant that her mind would wander with things she only wanted to forget. For several moments she laid there allowing the sounds of the shower remind her of falling water. Fod's men had held a rag over her face while they took turns dousing her with buckets of water.

Unable to stand the sound any longer, she tossed back the covers and padded into the living room where she was greeted by a large Great Dane. The gentle beast jumped up, placing his paws on her shoulders. Happily, he started lapping her face.

"Get down!" she squealed as the dog's large pink tongue ran up the side of her face.

"LaSalle!"

A moment later, the sound of Plexiglas clanging against the wall could be heard as LaSalle fumbled his way out of the shower. Clad in nothing but a towel, Chris appeared in the living room, water still glistening from his shoulders.

"I see you've met Rufus."

"Rufus? Since when do you have dog?" Brody swiped at her face as the dog dropped to all fours at the sound of Chris's voice.

"He's Cade's emotional companion." LaSalle crossed over to the patio door motioning to the dog.

"So why didn't he bark last night when we came in?" Brody asked as he let Rufus outside.

"I never said he was a guard dog," LaSalle crossed back over to her examining the dark circles that had formed under her eyes. Now that morning was here, she looked like a vampire needing to crawl back into a coffin to escape the light.

"You need some aspirin or anything?" After all those shots, last night she was bound to have one hell of a headache.

"Um…that would be great," What she really needed however was nice glass of wine to help chase it down. Not that she would verbalize those thoughts to her partner. Knowing, Chris he would haul her ass off to an AA meeting. Group therapy, share time was the last thing she wanted.

"I could also make you, LaSalle's instant cure for a hangover if you'd like," Chris added watching her face twitch into a tight smile.

"No thanks," she replied in a cynical tone. She shuddered to think what would be in it.

Ah, so it was going to be angry Brody today. Working with angry Brody was going to be a lot of fun, compared to depressed and drunken Brody. LaSalle thought as he headed off to fetch the aspirin and some water.

He had just returned with the aspirin and handed it to Brody when the front door swung open and Cade appeared.

The older LaSalle's eyes widened. This was the first time since his arrival that Chris had a lady friend as an overnight guest. "Whoa, you should have put sock or something over the doorknob so I'd know that we had company."

"It isn't what you think!" Both LaSalle and Brody replied in unison.

"It's exactly what I think," Cade muttered quietly noting that Brody was wearing Chris's Roll Tide sweatshirt. No one wore the Roll Tide, ever. As far as Cade knew the sweatshirt ranked among his little brother's most prized processions.

Moving into the kitchen, Cade set a box of warm beignets on the counter. "Don't worry, I brought plenty. After the night the two of you had, you must be famished."

Chris felt his ears burn as a smile of embarrassment spread across his face. But given the fact that he was wearing nothing but a towel and Merri was dressed in a pair of his boxer shorts, he could hardly blame Cade for assuming that he had hooked up with his partner.

"Don't mind him, none." He said quietly. "I'm gonna get dressed and then we'll swing by your place before heading into work."

Ugh. Merri thought, knowing that she could expect another day of manning the phones and paperwork. As far she was concerned, Pride had written her off as the office secretary and full time gopher. All the good cases now went to Abigail.

Secretly, she knew why that was however. Pride didn't think she was ready to go back into the field. Given her history with the Moultrie, he was afraid she was going to balk again and mess up.

Maybe he was right she thought as Cade turned on the water at the kitchen sink and reached for the coffee pot.

"Somethin' botherin' ya?" Cade asked noting the panic stricken look that had taken the pretty smile from her face.

"No…I just had a little too much to drink last night," she rebounded quickly pressing her hand to her stomach.

"Sorry about that," Cade said as he poured the water into the coffee maker. "But for the record, you must be somethin' really special to Chris"

"Why is that?"

"The Roll Tide," Cade quipped. "He doesn't let just anybody wear that."

For the first time in months, a genuine smile spread across Brody's face as she looked down at the big red letters splayed across her chest.


	3. Rescue Me Again

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I must admit I ran into too many similar ideas between this one and Shots Fired but now I think I found a solid direction for this one. Hope you will come back for another look for my attempt at fluff/love/romance. **

After Brody had showered and dressed, Chris drove her back to Gator's to get her car.

"My car's not here. I had a friend drop me off," Brody confessed as he started to pull to the curb. It was at the motel.

"A friend," Chris repeated incredulously.

"Get you mind out of the gutter, LaSalle." She rolled her eyes deciding that if he alluded to her being to her whore again, she would beat him senseless.

"All I'm sayin' is that you seem to have been hanging out with some sketchy people lately."

"Says the man who frequently plays golf with a known drug dealer," she was referring to Ross P.

"He's my C.I. The golf course is a quiet place to talk. Hit a few rounds, take in a few beers."

"Does he even play?"

"That's debatable." Most of the time, Ross just liked to swing the club in an effort to impress the honeys.

Chris pulled away from the curb and started for the motel. "If ya want, I can help you find a new place to live."

Brody averted her eyes. "Unfortunately, we both know that isn't going to help."

Chris reached over and grabbed her hand. "You wanna move in with me and Cade?" It would be crowded but he could make it work for a little while.

A wide grin spread across Brody's face causing her cheeks to dimple. "You sure Rufus wouldn't mind?"

"He's very accommodating."

"Let me think about it," she answered, slipping her hand free. Chris already has enough on his plate with Cade. He didn't need to take on her problems too.

* * *

The following night, the pattern repeated itself, Merri was at the same bar going through the same destructive motions. The only different was she had worn a different dress.

"Are we really going to go through this again?" Chris asked watching her toss back a shot of Tequila. This marked the third time this week and Chris was getting tired. Wait a minute, mentally and physically exhausted was more like it. In fact, it was starting to affect his work. Pride had caught him yawning a few times during a staging to a raid and called him out on it. He'd played it off as having to deal with brother stuff but deep down he suspected that Pride knew about Brody and her sudden interest in the nightlife.

"C'mon Chris, have a drink with me!" Brody hollered against the music . She was definitely getting used to his knight in shining armor routine, but desperately wanted him to lighten up.

Chris as he stepped up to the bar watching her down another one. "Nah, I think I'll pass."

Brody's big chocolate colored eyes lit up. "Oh, let's play pool!" she squealed, latching onto his wrist.

"You can play pool at my house," he said flatly reeling her back to him as she started toward the pool table. At least, she would be out of the limelight and away from the alcohol at his place. Due to Cade's illness and the fact that alcohol was trigger, Chris had cleaned out everything he had in the house. So, like Cade, she'd be safe and all he would need to do was to tuck in her when she was ready to crash. That is if he didn't crash first.

A mischievous grin spread across her dark cherry colored lips, "No, a Benjamin says, I can beat that Bama boy grin of yours right off your face." Although, she had to admit she had been intrigued by the marvelous billiards table that sat center stage in his living room. Perhaps she'd be able to entice him in a private game of shirts and skins later. She made herself a mental note to ask him about it when they got back to his place and from the looks of things they would be going back.

Chris knew that if he didn't give in she'd just end up challenging one of the undesirables that were seated at the bar. Then he'd have to step in, risk a fist fight and more than likely have to drag her out kicking and screaming like he'd done the past two nights, none of which he had the energy for.

"All right, but I want to see your Benjamin first."

"Come find it," she challenged in a husky voice.

Chris could only grin. He knew it was the alcohol talking but he did have to wonder if his reserved and overly private partner was still in there somewhere. Since her run in with Fod, she'd done a complete 360 as far as her quiet and uptight personality was concerned.

"I'll just take your word on it," he grinned reaching for a pool stick.

"You first," Brody teased making sure he that he could see the ample parting of her thighs as she learned against the table. She was really going at it tonight and all if seemed to be aimed at him specifically.

"Number six in the side pocket." Pulling back his stick, Chris expertly shot the red number 6 ball across the table and into the targeted pocket.

"Very nice, LaSalle, but I can do one better."

Chris watched with great fascination she racked up the balls and made her first shot. He loved the way her forehead crinkled when she was in deep concentration. "Green ball in the side pocket."

She had just committed to shooting when Chris came up behind her. Strategically, he encircled his arms around her so that his hands were clutching the pool stick. "You're never going to make it with this stance. Ya, need to raise it up just a tad and pull it back."

"So, this is how you disarm all those unsuspecting women," She said, allowing him to take control of the shot.

"Oh, I don't need a pool stick to disarm anyone," he quipped, firing the green ball into the corner pocket.

Her eyes narrowing, she turned into him. "You just high jacked my shot, mister. You're gonna have to pay for that."

Chris had to admit, he was beginning to enjoy this. "And how are you going make me do that exactly?"

Brody pressed her index finger into his chest, dragging her fingernail down the material of his black t-shirt. "You know that if I wanted to I could have you flat over this pool table in a second."

"I know," he grinned, falling in love with her cute drunken expressions, "but not if I do this first!" Crouching slightly, he tossed an arm under her backside and threw her up onto his shoulder. He was half-tempted to swat her on the behind as they made their quick exit to his truck. He knew eventually he would have to pay dearly for the bold move but at the moment he didn't care he was having too much fun.

* * *

Brody stood over the magnificent burgundy and mahogany pool table in LaSalle's living room watching him as he slept on the couch. He looked so peaceful there lying on his back with his head titled to the side. It was the third time this week, he'd given up his bed for her she though noting that the majority of the blanket had slipped down past his waistband of his briefs and was about to fall onto the floor.

She still couldn't believe he'd actually tossed her over his shoulder and carried her out of the bar like that she smiled as crossed the room and pulled the blanket back up to his chest. For several seconds she stood there listening to his even and deep breathing.

Dipping her head, she pecked his cheek before disappearing into the sanctuary of his bedroom.

"Thank you for rescuing me again tonight, Chris."


	4. Drowning

**A/N : Congratulations to Lucas Black and his wife on their new baby!** **Adorable picture on Twitter.**

**A/N II: There will references to my Gone Girl story in upcoming chapters, please keep in mind that Gone Girl was posted before the reveal of Brody's sister, Emily and the events on the Moultrie. Thank you for the new alerts and reviews. **

* * *

"So, where did the pool table come from?" Brody asked she stepped out of Chris' truck.

Chris slung his laptop bag over his shoulder, making a face. "It's Cade's actually. He won it in a card game, supposedly."

Pride was sitting at his desk flipping through the latest file when Chris and Brody walked into the bullpen. "Mornin' Christopher, Brody."

"Morning King!" Chris' voice overrode Brody's quite hello as they each walked over to their respective desk and turned on their computers. It was going to be another long day Chris thought as he watched Brody settle in with the cold case files that Pride had given her to review.

What fun!

For him it would be working finishing up the report of a Navy Lieutenant found murdered in the quarter. The poor sailor had been on leave from Gulf Port and had somehow ended up with several knife wounds to the chest.

Pride rose to his feet. "Christopher, can I see you a sec?"

Brody watched as the two stole up to the conference room and closed the door. So, this was the way it was going to be Pride had something to say but didn't want to say it in front of her. It was another sign that he was kicking her to the curb.

Their morning meetings in the conference room had become a new ritual that greatly annoyed her. Several times, she'd debated about going all interrogator mode on Chris but then thought better of it. It would be wrong to put Chris in the middle between her and King. He was her partner, but he'd been King's friend a lot longer than he'd been hers. She wouldn't delude herself. She knew exactly where his loyalties would lie if it came down to it.

Ten minutes later Brody could hear their tread of their boots as they came down the stairs with Pride in the lead.

"Hold down the fort Brody. We caught new case down by the riverfront. Could be gone a couple of hours or more."

"How about I come along and decrease your work load a bit?" Brody tossed out. She knew it was wrong to question her superior, but things had gotten to the point to where she felt Pride was coddling her and she hated it.

"What do ya say King? It's just a crime scene." Chris jumped in. He understood why Pride had wanted to give Brody time to get back on her feet, but it had been over two months now. Despite her nightly escapades, Chris truly believed that the worst part was behind her

"There are two bodies," he added as the older agent cut his eyes.

"I suppose we could use another hand," Pride said letting a sigh escape. He knew he couldn't keep Brody from the field forever but given Chris' faith in her he was willing to try to ease her back in. "Grab your gear and meet us in the truck."

Pride clapped Chris on the back as Brody disappeared into the locker room, "You know this all going to be on you if something goes wrong," Pride knew Brody was hitting the bottle pretty hard at night despite Chris' best efforts to hide it.

"What could go wrong?" The victims were already dead. There was no chance the killer could still be around. It was going to be routine. They would process the scene and send the bodies to the morgue.

* * *

When they arrived at the scene, they found the two bodies in question near the riverfront parking lot. One was up near the retaining wall on the river and the other was about 100 feet inland, nestled up against the grass.

"Chris, you take the one next to the retaining wall. Brody and I'll take the other one."

"Roger that, King." Chris winked at Brody before picking up his kit and crossing over to the wall. The first victim had multiple contusions and abrasions to his head suggesting blunt force trauma. Chris crouched down to get a close up of what he perceived had been the fatal blow. Blood covered a gaping wound at the base of the man's skull, suggested something sturdy made of metal perhaps. Reaching for his camera, Chris captured several shots.

Across the way, Pride and Brody were processing a victim with similar wounds. "Hall tech, First Class, Bryan Adams" Brody read before placing his wallet into an evidence bag.

"Brody, can you hand me a pair of tweezers," Pride asked, gazing at a piece of shiny metal on the victims clothing.

Turning toward the kit, Brody caught a glimpse of something in her peripheral vision. A car was coming up fast on Chris' left side. What the hell was this guy doing? It looked like he was heading right for the retaining wall.

"Chris! Behind you!" Brody called out a warning.

Chris tried to jump out of the way but it was too late. The car was too close. Impact was inevitable.

Frozen with fear, all Brody could do was watch as her partner tumbled up onto the hood into the windshield before falling into the river below.

"Chris!"

Memories assaulted her as she ran to the retaining wall. Brody wanted to jump in and save her partner but she couldn't. Her recent experience with Fod's men torturing her with waterboarding wouldn't allow it. She was too afraid to do anything. Chris was fairly good swimmer but he had been wearing his jacket and was armed when he went into the water. If he were injured those factors would only work against him.

Behind her, Pride removed his jacket and his piece before sprinting passed her and diving into the water head first into the water.

Brody watched the water for several minutes until Pride came up for air and the disappeared underneath the surface repeating the process. On the third attempt, Pride finally surfaced with Chris and crawled ashore near a pedestrian entry point.

Pride struggled to remove Chris' jacket while Brody could only look down at her partner he was so flaccid and still. This couldn't be man that she was flirting with last night. That man was alive and smiling.

"Brody, I need your help!" Immediately, Pride started chest compressions in an effort to force the water from Chris' lungs. Breaking herself free of despair, Brody took Pride's cue and fell to her knees.

"Breathe Chris! Breathe!" she pleaded blowing air into his lungs. The duo continued the patterns until they heard their friend take in a sharp gasp followed by hard coughing and sputtering.

* * *

"A drunken idiot, talking on his cell phone," Pride raked a towel over his face as Brody watched the EMTs treat her partner in the back of the ambulance. Although they had immediately given him a diuretic to prevent swelling in his lungs, he was still red in the face and coughing periodically.

Pride touched her shoulder. "Why don't you go to the hospital with Chris and I'll be there as soon as I clean up the scene and change."

Brody looked up at him with doleful defeated eyes, "If you don't mind, I'd rather go back to the office and start analyzing the evidence from our victims."

Pride was a bit taken back by the tone of her voice. It sounded a little cold even for Brody. She and Chris had spent every waking hour together at the hospital following the events of her abduction. He couldn't see her abandoning her partner now.

"Are you okay, Brody?"

"Fine," she answered resigned.

* * *

**Gator's Piano Bar**

It was nearly midnight when Brody looked into the mirror behind the bar and saw Chris standing in the back, leaning up against a wooden beam. Narrowing her eyes, she turned and glared at him. He shouldn't be here. Not after what he had been through. It had only been through God's Grace that he survived the accident relatively unscathed.

"You should be at home resting," she said icily as he took the seat next to her.

Chris ordered a beer on tap and looked at her. "How can I do that when I know you're here?" The truth was he was becoming used to their nightly routine and knew that Brody was depending on him to show up whether she would actually say so or not.

Brody looked away and took a sip of her house Merlot. "You almost died today."

Chris smiled his famous grin as he took a pull from his beer. He could only recall a handful of times where he actually thought he might die and today had not been one of them. "I just took in a little too much water is all."

Brody shifted her eyes to her glass refusing to look at him. "But if Pride hadn't of been there…"

Chris took another pull. "You would have done what you needed to do."

"I froze out there," Brody whirled on him. "Your life was in danger and I couldn't move."

Chris placed his hand over hers and unconsciously started to play with her fingers. He knew it was an outright invasion of her personal space but at the moment he didn't care. She was sinking, drowning in fact and he wasn't about to let that happen.

"You're being too hard on yourself."

"Am I?" Brody looked down his hand covering hers. Normally, she would have pulled it away by now but she couldn't. When she had been captured by Fod and was being held prisoner on an old rusted out ship, Chris' touch had been the first indication that she was going to survive the horrific ordeal. She clearly remembered the feel of his hand on her cheek and the sound of his voice.

It was also the first time, he'd called her _Michigan._ She wasn't sure where he'd gotten that from other than the fact that it was part of the Great Lakes and that she had been attached to the Great Lakes office but she liked it.

Words weren't an option as Chris gave her hand a squeeze. He didn't want to debate with her if she was bound and determine to have a pity party. He didn't have the energy for it. "You're pretty good at rescue breathing by the way. The next time I nearly drown, I'm asking for you."

Brody's mouth twitched into a suppressed smile as she tried hard not to laugh.

Satisfied, he gotten through to her, Chris tossed a ten up onto the bar. "Instead of debating this, what do ya say we call it an early night?"

"On one condition," Brody grinned as she prepared to close out her tab. "You let me take the couch tonight."


	5. Rematch

Chris was just about asleep when he heard the distinct sound of a pool stick connecting with a ball. What was Cade doing up at this time of night? Not that Chris really had to ask. He just hoped his older brother wasn't having one of his episodes, especially when Brody was here. He shuddered to think that the older LaSalle was keeping his partner awake, or entertaining her by redecorating another part of the house.

Tossing back the covers, Chris pulled to his feet, tugged a t-shirt over his head and quietly padded out to the main room. What he saw surprised him. Brody leaned over the pool table with a stick in her hand, ready to fire the red number 6 ball into the far corner, her lacey colored panties peeking out from beneath the t-shirt he'd given her to wear.

Chris tried not to look at her backside as her legs spread over so slightly, but she was just so damn cute dressed in his favorite black-t shirt. He hadn't realized that when he'd offered it to her, that he was completing a matching bra and panty set.

He watched her for a moment more until he felt the need to cough. Lying down, had brought whatever left over liquid he had in his system from his little swim in the river right into the center of his chest. Making a fist he brought it up to his mouth hoping he could stifle the impending cough. Trying to keep it in however, only made it worse. As hard as he tried he just couldn't hold it back.

_Cough_

_Cough_

Startled, Brody missed her shot, driving the tip of the billiards stick into the velvet colored table.

Chris threw up his hands as she whirled around, tugging on the hem of the t-shirt as it rose above the waistline of her panties. She hadn't realized it was so short when he offered it to her. Of, course she had rejected the frumpy looking flannel pj bottoms that had been offered with it.

"Chris?"

"I didn't mean to scare you," he apologized, fumbling for an excuse. "I just need some water." He coughed again and immediately Brody's face clouded over with concern.

"Are you ok?" Dozens of scenarios flooded her mind as she watched him cross over into the kitchen. He had almost drowned yesterday. What if he still had water in lungs? What if the dosage of diuretics they'd given him at the hospital wasn't enough? His lungs could be swelling with fluid and he could die from what was known as dry drowning.

"Fine"

_Cough_

_Cough_

Brody shook her head. "You do not sound fine." She said as he put a glass under the opening in the refrigerator and filled it with cold water.

"It's nothing." The doctor had said, he might have a cough for a day or two.

Brody picked up the pool stick and held it close at her side. "If you're up to it, I have a proposition for you"

"Oh man," Chris shook his head, his signature grin spreading across his face. He didn't know if it was the alcohol talking but he could see exactly what she wanted.

"Rematch," Brody tossed him the pool stick.

Chris set the glass down and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah…it's late."

"You're afraid I might win." She teased.

Actually, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to get up in the morning. Now going on night four with Brody as a house guest he was starting to feel the effects of her constant all night escapades and had to wonder how she was physically keeping up with it.

Adrenaline maybe?

"Loser gets the couch," he said accepting her challenge.

"You're on," Brody placed her hands on her hips, smiling sassily as he stepped up to the table and racked up the colored balls.

She circled around to the other side of the table and leaned on the edge. "Show me, whatcha got Bama Boy." She teased as the balls began to scatter in all directions, three of them finding their way into various pockets.

"I'm just getting' started," Chris eased his way down the table and fired the white ball into a set of two, both balls winding up in their respective pockets. "Looks like your gunna be fending off Rufus for the couch."

"Yeah?" Brody strutted up to him, placing a hand on the side of his face, creating a please let me kiss you expression. "Not if I do this first, "she said huskily making the distance between them incredibly small.

"Are ya sure you want this?" he whispers against her lips.

Slowly, she brought her lips to his, her heart pounding wildly. She's wanted this ever since she woke up in the hospital, crying over the thought that she had given up her sister, Sophie to Fod. When she retreats to that dark place of fear, the one that paralyzes her and makes her lose rational thought she thinks of Chris and how he took a bullet to the chest for her.

He returns her kiss deepening it until a moan escapes her. Her breath becomes heavier as he gently lifts her up onto the edge of the pool table. Her legs spread as her arms wrap around his neck. She doesn't know where this is going, but she doesn't want it to stop.

His first thought is to carry her into the bedroom, until he feels a burn in his left knee from where the bumper of the car clipped him. He knows he won't make it if he tries to lift her up again. So, gently, very gently he lays her back on the smooth maroon velvet cover on the table and grabs the sheet from the couch. Two large cushions make the perfect set of pillows as Brody lies back, waiting to be taken.

When morning comes, Brody feels the warmth of Chris' arms wrapped tightly around her. Despite the fact that she slept on a hard pool table, this was the best night sleep since she her abduction. Being next to Chris makes her feel warm and secure for the first time in several months she doesn't awake with the feeling of terror in her chest.

Turning into him, she kisses him softly until the corners of his mouth begin to twitch. "Mornin' Michigan," he murmurs keeping his eyes closed as her kisses intensify.

"I'm glad this happened," she whispers pressing her hand to the top of his thigh.

Chris moans slightly and places his hand over hers blocking her advance. "Cade'll be up soon." He said not expecting the burly reply that followed.

"Cade's already up baby brother!"

Chris swore softly as Brody shrank up against him, giggling into his chest.

"I've been wonderin' when the two of ya were gunna get after it," Cade added disappearing into the kitchen. "Didn't think it would be on my pool table though. "


	6. Daisy Mae

**A/N: I just want to note that this chapter is 90% fluff, which if you have read any of my other work you know this is a big change for me.**

"Morning Pride," Merri Brody smiled as she walked into the kitchen and reached for her mug. "Is the coffee fresh?"

"Just made a fresh pot," Pride answered, noting the return of agent's chipper tone as she brushed past LaSalle to reach for the pot.

Brody filled her cup and started towards her desk. "I'm going to have to skip breakfast this morning, I made an appointment to meet Petty Officer Bryan's girlfriend and I'm already running a little late." A morning quickie with LaSalle, had turned into marathon event that had started in the bedroom and ended in the shower, with Chris' knee giving out and the two of them winding up on the hard tiled floor. She knew that they were in for trouble when he had taken on her full weight, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. All in all however it had still turned out satisfying, leaving their lips raw and the water running cold.

"Do you know what has gotten in Brody lately?" Pride asked when Brody was out of ear shot. To Pride it seemed as if she were finally starting to crawl out of the dark hole she'd been throw into by Adkom Fod.

Chris felt his cheeks begin to burn as he looked down into his coffee cup. If ever there was time for a poker face it was now. Though he would never take credit for it, he was the reason a smile had suddenly reappeared on her face. They'd spent the last three nights together either at his is place or her not so great motel room. Not that Chris minded in the least where he was with her as long she was happy and they were together. He knew he needed to do something about her staying at a motel rather than her place night after night but for the moment he was content just to have won her trust and to watch her begin to build her self-esteem again.

"Guess, she's startin' feel like her ol self again is all."

"Maybe," Pride answered drawing his mug to his lips. "You still keepin' tabs on her at night?"

"Yep," Chris felt his insides begin to squirm. When Pride had asked him to start keeping tabs on his partners after hour's activities he never dreamed that they'd end up together. Sure, he'd fantasized over it, but never actually thought it would become a reality.

"Good."

Chris was standing in the doorway of the records closet when he felt Brody body slam him into the small room and bolt the door.

"What are you doin'?" he asked, as her arms snaked around his neck.

"I just wanted to see if your knee was any better," she returned, punctuating her words with kisses.

Chris raised an eye brow as his hands slid underneath the material of her blouse. "Did ya now?"

Brody kissed him fully on the mouth before rolling her big chocolate colored irises up to him. "I really feel bad about the fact that we both ended up on the floor this morning."

Chris had actually thought it was kind of hot except for the part where he had been withering in pain afterwards from his battered knee. "So what are you proposing, exactly?" he asked as she reached for his belt. He really hoped that it didn't involve trying to lift her up again, because quite honestly his knee couldn't take it.

Brody grinned mischievously as she continued to shower his lips with more than friendly kisses. "Tonight, you, me, a single white sheet and a pool table."

Chris pulled back, wide eyed. "Cade'll kill us if we go near his pool table again."

"Who says, it has to be Cade's pool table?" she quipped. She was specifically thinking about the one at the Piano bar and how sexy it would be if the manager would let them stay after hours and use it. Though she would leave the part out about what kind of activity would actually be taking place.

Chris thought for a moment before taking a hold of her hands. The pool table had definitely been hot, in fact it ranked in his top of 5 spots to...but tonight he had something else in mind; something that would be just the two of them, no motel, no pool table, no bar and no Cade. He was going to take her to the perfect place.

* * *

Blindfolded, Merri Brody felt an awkward twinge as she realized that she was being lead up a set up porch steps. Chris had a hold of her hands and was literally coaxing her through each step. "Hang on a sec, I need to get the door. A fierce blush spread over Brody's cheeks as the thought of being blindfolded out in public hit her. People were probably staring at her and gawking.

Nervous anticipation hit her as she felt him stop and step behind her to remove the blindfold. She blinked for several seconds trying to let her eyes adjust to dimly lit room. Candles and rose petals surrounded her. A bottle of wine was chilling on a neatly set table for two. Obviously, Chris had thought of everything for the perfect night of romance. There was one exception however: this was her house. The place where she had been captured and taken and beaten; it was the very last place on Earth she wanted to be.

Her voice started to shake as anxiety started to kick in into high gear, "I…I don't understand how you could do this." She was embarrassed over the fact that her voice actually cracked, but at the moment she didn't care. She needed to escape.

Moving to her left, she attempted to sidestep him, only to have him block her path. His hands fell to her shoulders in effort to sooth the terror that was flooding her face.

"Get out of my way, Chris."

"You're getting all bowed up for nothing'. Just calm down and give yourself a chance." Chris increased the pressure on her shoulders. The last thing he wanted her to do was leave.

"GET. OUT. OF. MY. WAY!" she whirled, before clipping his bad knee and hurling the larger agent over her shoulder. Chris hit the thin carpet with a resounding thud that knocked the wind out his lungs. He'd seen Brody use this move several times on perpetrators, but never actually thought about the impact of it until just now.

For several seconds he laid there on the floor waiting for the jarring sensation to stop. Then very slowly, he uneasily pulled to his feet, grimacing as he put pressure onto his already injured knee. He hobbled for a couple of moments as he made his way outside, finding her on the sidewalk. She was leaning up against his truck, her right hand clasped tightly over her mouth, in an effort to keep it together. Terror was literally shining on her face.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, before gently cocooning her in his arms. His intent was to hold her until she stopped shaking, unfortunately Brody wasn't about to have any part of it.

"You don't understand what it is like for me!" She said, with her voice high and thin.

Chris took a step back, giving her some personal space. "You're right. I just thought…"

"You weren't thinking!" she blasted, her big brown eyes on the verge of welling with tears.

Chris pinched the bridge of his nose. He was literally at a loss. His only thought was to put her in the truck and take her back to her motel. But that would only invite her to go back to the destructive cycle and he didn't want to see that happen.

"Just give me, an hour." He pleaded. "And if you still feel ya need leave then we'll leave."

Brody frowned at him thoughtfully as he held out his hand.

"One hour," she swallowed, tentatively putting her hand in his.

Once they were back inside, Chris flanked her face with his hands and gently kissed her on the forehead. "I've got somethings I want to show you."

Brody chose to remain silent as he once again took by the hand and lead her into the kitchen where he had installed a panel for the new alarm system. "Now this here, is not your ordinary home alarm system. It's the kind that banks and federal buildings use. When ya turn it on beams detect the presence of movement. There's sensors in all of the windows too."

He was about to say more when a faint whimper was heard from inside the bedroom.

"What is that?" Brody asked cocking her head. The whimper had sounded like it had come from an animal.

Chris's eyes lit up as if he were about to give a child the best surprise ever. "That is the best part of it all"

Brody waited patiently as he disappeared into the bedroom and quickly returned with a beautiful, eight-week- old, Rottweiler -German Shepard mix puppy in his hands.

Brody's face lit up as he placed the tiny pup in her hands. "You got me a dog?"

"Not just any dog." Chris beamed going on as if he were a showroom salesman for world's worst used car lot. "This here is Daisy Mae, the best watch dog this side of the Mississippi."

"You actually named my dog, Daisy Mae?" Brody grinned before kissing the squirmy pup on the head.

"You'd rather call her Brutus? Cause ya can-" he was about to say more when Brody leaned in, silencing him with a kiss that told him she was more than pleased. The kissing continued to for several moments, until Daisy Mae excitedly started to lick Brody's face.

"I love you," Brody murmured as she pulled back watching Chris' face change. Oh god! What had she done? Had she actually just said those three little words to him without so much as a thought? "Her, I was talking to, her. " she recanted quickly watching Chris play it off like he knew she was talking to the dog the entire time.


	7. Secret to Keep

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. The muse has been having a hard time keeping things going. Well, not the muses fault really, more like RL. **

Brody propped her head in her hand as she watched Chris sleep. He looked so peaceful lying on his back, his breathing even and deep. She wasn't certain of the exact moment she had fallen in love with him, but it had been somewhere around the time of her kidnapping. Boy saves girl syndrome perhaps she thought trying to over analyze her feelings. There had to be a reason. His sexy accent maybe? She had a track record for falling for men who had unique characteristics about them and Chris LaSalle was no exception. Kind hearted, willing to do anything for a friend, he was the exact opposite of almost every man she had dated in the past which was probably the reason she had resisted his southern charm for so long.

Daisy whimpered softly from where she laid nestled in between them next curled up against Brody's stomach. Shifting, Brody scooped up the little dog setting her on the pillow. She watched as Chris' face began to twitch as the dog playfully began to paw about licking at Brody's face.

"Morning," he breathed still caught up in the throes of sleep. "What time is it?"

"I don't know, but it's still dark outside." Brody whispered pressing a kiss to his rugged lips.

Chris kissed her back in time with the peel of his phone prompting his spring up.

"Is everything ok?" Brody asked as he turned away from her squinting against the bright glare from the screen.

"It's Pride. He wants me to come in early," It was a little after 5 a.m., which made it awfully early if there wasn't a dead body involved.

Pride? Brody's brow furrowed over the thought that her phone wasn't ringing as well. "How early?"

"Now"

* * *

Chris walked into the bullpen to find Pride waiting with a cup of coffee in hand. "What's going on that I needed to come in so dang gum early?" He too was wondering why Pride had not called Brody in as well.

"You'll see," Pride handed Chris the coffee.

"Well, where's Brody?"

"She can't know about this. This is just between you and me." The older agent replied watching Chris' brow furrow as an alert sounded that they had a conference call coming in on the plasma screen. It was an operative who had information on Fod's wife and Brody's adopted sister, Sophie. As it turned out, Brody's abduction had been ploy to draw Sophie out of WITSEC and back into Fod's hands.

A few moments later the two agents stood in front of the Plasma screen conferencing with FBI agent, Gina Lance. Lance was the commanding member of the FBI's task force that had been created to bring down Fod.

"Good Morning, Dwanye." Agent Lance beamed looking at the two agents. "Who's your friend?"

Pride placed a hand on Chris' shoulder. "Special Agent, Chris LaSalle, meet Agent Gina Lance."

"Nice to meet you ma'am," LaSalle greeted in his polite southern demeanor as the woman's face lit up. "Special Agent LaSalle, so you're the one we have to thank for taking out Fod's number one assassin." Chris hadn't planned on taking out Fod's right hand, but the man had been intending to finish off Brody and had tried to put a bullet in his chest.

"I was just tryin' to save, Agent Brody," Chris returned modestly as Pride's hand slipped from his shoulder.

"What can you tell us about Sophie, Gina? Anything new on Fod and her whereabouts?"

Chris did a double take. The last thing he knew was the Sophie was off living a new life somewhere under the protection of WITSEC.

"We have confirmation that Sophie is definitely still alive, but where she is at the moment is still anything one's guess. What we do know is that some of Fod's operatives have been spotted in New Orleans."

A picture of two of Fod's associates flashed up onto the screen as Gina began to relay their connection to Fod. As it turned out, Fod was picking right up where he left off smuggling drugs and arms throughout the city.

Specifics continued for several more minutes with the conversation ending with Pride promising to take care of the unwanted associates on his end.

Chris felt his jaw clench as Pride turned off the big screen. " How long has Fod had Sophie?" he said tightly trying to keep his anger in check. Brody sister was in danger and she knew nothing about it.

"Since the day he tried to blow up the parking garage with you in it." Pride said calmly watching Chris's facial expressions go from frustration to betrayal. He watched as the younger man looked away for a moment, processing the thought.

Pride had known for all these months and hadn't said anything? This was Brody's sister we were talking about.

"I know what you're thinkin' Chris, but just hear me out before you decide to go off half-cocked. Gibbs and I had our reasons for keepin' you and Brody in the dark."

Chris took in a deep breath and exhaled, "I'm listenin.'"

There were very things that Pride ever kept from him, but when he did he usually had a good reason. Aside from the fact that Brody had been tortured and nearly killed, Director Vance had managed to plant an international agent within Fod's organization who had been keeping tabs and making connections to gather information about Sophie whereabouts. Tonight that information had finally paid off.

"So, what are we gunna do?"

"Nothin,'" Pride answered watching his young sidekicks eyes grow wide.

"Nothin? We'll when are we gunna tell Brody?"

"I already told you, we're not."

Chris pursed his lips, his face growing tense. He was trying to understand this he really was but he was becoming too wrapped up in Brody's point of view. If someone had kidnapped Cade he would definitely want to know about it the second that it had happened. Not to mention he would be crushed if he ever found that Pride had been keeping something like that from him.

"Then why say anything to me at all?"

Pride saw the frustration in Chris eyes and could tell that he was wrestling over being loyal to his fellow agent. "Because there's a chance, that Fod will come back to New Orleans and if that happens we need to be ready, but if it doesn't we need to let the feds and the international team do their job."

"And you don't want Brody going off all half-cocked." Chris knew how Brody would react, hell he would react the same way. He'd been down this road before when Cade had been accused of killing his girlfriend, Wendi Stewart.

"Exactly," Pride nodded. "But I need to know that I can count on you not to say anything to Brody. When the time is we'll tell her but until then I need to know that I have your word."

"Not a problem, King." Chris agreed reluctantly knowing that it was going to be a huge problem to keep this from the woman he had just about decided he loved.

**A/N: Uh...oh dilemma on Chris' part. Does he risk being loyal to Pride and possibly losing Brody?**


	8. Lies and Deceit

**A/N: Slowly, I am making the rounds through all of my stories. Thank you all for the awesome reviews and PMs.**

Armed with pot holders and a piping hot Pyrex dish filled with vegetarian lasagna, Brody had her hands full as Daisy started to whine dancing around her feet.

"Chris, can you take the dog out?" LaSalle was sitting in front of the TV. A tape delayed recording of Texas-Valero open was playing but he wasn't watching. He was too busy thinking about his early morning conversation with Pride.

"LaSalle!"

Brody rolled her eyes, as he ignored her yet again, prompting her to set the casserole on the table a little harder than she met to. Scooping up the dog, she exited the house through the kitchen. When she returned, she found LaSalle still buried in his thoughts.

Crossing over to the couch, she took the initiative to straddle his hips. Placing her hands on either side of his face, she kissed him solidly until she felt his body start to respond.

"What was that for?" he asked when the kiss ended.

Brody smiled haphazardly as she slid off of him, trailing her hand along his cheek. "I've been calling you for the last 5 minutes and you haven't heard a word that I've said."

"Sorry," he responded sheepishly.

Brody reached for his hand, prompting him to pull to his feet. "What's going on with you? You've been distracted all day."

"Nothin'" he answered resigned.

"Is it something with Cade?" Brody frowned thoughtfully, splaying her hands over his chest.

"No," he answered, gently pulling her hands from his chest before sidestepping her and heading towards the kitchen.

"I can tell when you're lying you know," Brody called after him as he ducked into the refrigerator and pulled out a bottled water.

"I'm not lying," She'd asked him about Cade and he'd given her an honest answer. He wasn't so sure he could do the same however if she were to ask him about specifics with his early morning meeting with Pride.

The fact that Sophie was back in the hands of Fod and that Brody knew nothing about was gnawing at his soul. If Cade were in a similar situation, and he found out that Brody and Pride had kept that from him he would be beyond livid. Years of trust and friendship would be broken.

He imagined that Brody would feel the same. To top everything off, he was sleeping with her, which made his silence and dishonestly ten-fold.

"Well, there's something bothering you," Brody grabbed the salad that was sitting on the counter and started for the table.

"It's personal." He lied, knowing it was only personal to her.

Personal. Brody felt her lips twitch. "Now, you're starting to sound like me." She tossed out, deciding that maybe they weren't at the need to share everything stage yet.

"I just can't tell ya," Another honest answer in his opinion.

"Ok, I have ways of making you talk." Brody purposely stiffened with he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"I know." Chris grinned as he started to kiss the back of her neck. He would put out the fire of deceit that was starting to grow in his belly for now and push the thoughts of Sophie being held captive to back of his mind for Brody's sake.

But come morning he would use every resource he had in hopes of gathering as much intel on Fod's possible return to NOLA as he could find. He wasn't just going to sit on his hands and wait, while keeping all of this from Brody.

Whether Pride liked it or not he needed to being doing something.

Brody turned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You hungry?"

"Always," he replied knowing that her question had nothing to do with food.

* * *

Chris purposely waited until Brody was sound asleep before getting out of bed and dressing quickly. It was a little after 1:00 a.m. He knew it was wrong just to leave her in the middle of the night without saying as much as a goodbye, but this thing with her sister, Sophie, this secret that Pride has asked him to keep was gnawing away, eating him up inside. It had barely been 24 hours and already Brody knew he was keeping something from her.

He needed to do something. Starting up his truck he drove to the part of the Quarter that most people tended to avoid during the middle of night. The part that even NOLA PD avoided if they could. Even in the daytime it wasn't a the best place to seen especially if you were a tourist or a cop. But there were people there, who knew and did things; the kind of things that nice deceit folks never even thought about.

He met Ross P on the street corner, outside of a seedy bar. "He's in there," the trusted informant leaned up against the street light, refusing to make eye contact with the agent. Going after international criminals wasn't his thing, especially ones related to Adkom Fod.

"Thanks," Chris grinned. "I owe ya."

Ross P shook his head as he reached into his pocket and handed Chris an exotic gold coin to give to the bartender. "You sure you wanna open this can of worms?"

Chris averted his eyes, shaking his head. "It's not something I want to do. It's something I have to do."

Ross P. reached out, touching the agent's shoulder. "Just so you know, if you get killed I'm not coming to your funeral."

"That's not going to happen. At least not today," Chris smiled largely before clapping the CI on the shoulder, "Now, go on get out of here."

Chris waited until Ross P was out of sight before going into the bar and handing the coin to the bartender who motioned to a waitress.

"Take him to the VIP suite." The waitress looked from the bartender and then to Chris, shaking her head before leading the agent to the back of the club to an elevator.

Funny, the building was only one story, which meant that they would be going down. Basement? Underground extension? He'd soon find out. When the elevator doors opened, the woman motioned him out.

"Wait here," she instructed as he stepped out into nothing but pitch black darkness.

For several minutes he waited, feeling a little uneasy. It was so dark he couldn't see his hand in front of his face. And then it came, the feel of a blade pressing up tightly against his throat. Chris' first instinct was to reach up and grab the arm holding the knife, but instead he raised his hands slowly.

"I need information about a missing woman."

"You're a cop?" A heavily accented voice, said into his ear.

"Federal Agent," A grunting noise came from deep inside Chris' throat as the blade broke the skin. He was going to have a tough time explaining the cut to Pride not to mention Brody if he got out of this one.

The man holding the knife hissed. Normally, he would have finished slitting the agent's throat by now, but man's stupidity intrigued him. Removing the knife, he kicked LaSalle in the back of the knees forcing him to the ground.

"Hands on your head!" the man ordered, reaching down to retrieve Chris' weapon from the holster at his back. He pressed the muzzle up against the agent's head. Great, now Chris was going to die by a bullet to the back of the head from his own gun.

Once again, Chris did as he was told and laced his fingers above his head. "Sophia Brody-Adkom." He said calmly.

The man holding the gun laughed and then said something that was almost too soft for Chris to hear. LaSalle was about to say something when he suddenly felt the grip of his gun come crashing up against his skull causing everything around him to go black.

**A/N: Oh Dear, let's see what should be next for our boy? Should he have to face Pride or worse, Brody? OR should be turned over to the terrorist forcing Brody to save his ass?**


	9. The Truth Comes Out

**The Truth Comes Out**

Brody was shocked to find that she was alone when the peel of cell phone pulled her from a deep sleep. Chris was here beside her just a few hours ago but now a clerk at Crescent City Hospital was calling to say that he had been admitted to the ER.

The clerk hadn't given her much to go on except to say that they had found his NCIS credentials and that Brody had been listed as one of the emergency contacts. Her dismay only continued to mount when she arrived and the NOPD officer who had found Chris told her that her partner had a concussion and that it looked like someone had attempted to slit his throat.

Though neither injury was life threatening it still scared the hell out her, especially the throat slitting part.

"He was where?" Brody questioned as the officer revealed the location where they had found LaSalle's unconscious form. What was Chris doing in that part of town in the middle of night?

None of this was making any sense she sighed as she made her way to his cubical. For several minutes she stood over his unconscious form questioning and debating before gently caressing the side of his face with the back of her hand.

She watched as his face twitched and his eyes became small slits of blue.

"Brody?"

"Hey there, Bama Boy," she smiled as she continued to stroke his cheek. Part of her wanted to rip him to shreds for scaring her like this, but the other part of her was so relieved that he was alive that the reason why almost didn't matter.

_Almost._

"Hey," he breathed letting her touch wash over him. Inwardly, he knew he was in for it but he needed a minute to regain his bearings. As soon as Brody figured out he was with it she would start to ask questions.

Brody lowered the railing and leaned over so that her lips were hovering over his. "You left my bed." She said huskily, deciding upon the power of seduction.

Chris managed a small grin as her lips brushed over his. He found it kind of sexy that she was so openly forward knowing that Pride could walk in at any second.

"You were snorin,'" he quipped as she whispered into his lips.

"Please do not lie to me." She pulled away slightly, studying the look in his eyes. She could tell that he even under the influence of pain killers he was conflicted.

He turned his head away from her. "I can't talk about it."

"Can't or won't?" Brody challenged before clutching his chin and forcing his attention. She wasn't going to take no for an answer. "You nearly had your throat slit tonight. Now, I don't know about you, but given the fact that we are sleeping together I think I deserve better than that."

Chris averted his eyes. She was right. She did deserve better.

"I needed some information about a case that Pride and I are workin'. Things just got a little out of hand is all."

"What case?" she demanded as Pride appeared in the doorway earning the attention of both of his agents.

Hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket, Pride stepped toward them. "Brody, would you mind goin' down to the cafeteria and getting me some coffee. I need to talk to Christopher for a minute."

Brody felt her jaw clench as she rose to her full height. They were both stonewalling her. The tone of her voice hung on indignation as she dared to question King, "the cafeteria is closed at this time of night."

"With Chicory if they have it, please," Pride finished cutting her off.

Brody had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. Her first thought was to hang back in the hallway hoping to catch part of their conversation although ease dropping wasn't her style, it could be an effective way to get the answers she needed, but on second thought…

She decided to let it all rip. "My God, when are the two of you going to stop lying to me?" She paused for a moment, allowing Pride and LaSalle to exchange glances. "I thought we were family. Isn't that what you said or does that just apply to you and LaSalle!"

She started to do an about face when Pride latched on to her elbow. "Just calm down for a second."

"Why? So you can tell me some more lies?" she blistered pulling her elbow free before jutting up against him.

"You are out of line," Pride retorted forcing her to take a step back. "If you want answers then I suggest you change your tone and change it right now." Pride had to admit he felt a little bit guilty for taking such a sharp tone with his junior agent, but he needed to get her to see reason. He wasn't about to have the tough conversation he need to in the middle of a hospital emergency room.

"You're dismissed," he said calmly as Brody threw up her hands and stormed out.

* * *

Several hours later, Brody sat in the conference room staring at the inch and half long cut that ran the across the width of LaSalle's windpipe. On one hand she wondered what was so important that he had almost had his throat slit, trying to keep something from her. But on the other hand, they were partners, lovers, he should have trusted her to be his back up, in whatever he was out doing in middle of night.

"Brody-" he started letting his hand slide across the table to her.

"Don't touch me," she hissed pulling her hand back as if she had just been burned.

Chris let out a long sigh just as Pride entered the room with a large case file in his hand and slapped it down in front of Brody.

"What's this?"

"Just turn to the page that is marked," Pride instructed, directing her attention to a pink sticky note. He said nothing as she started to scan through several pages of report files.

"This is your report on the day that Fod blew up the parking garage, " she said meeting his eyes.

"Just keep reading." He pointed as Brody lowered her irises back down to the page until she reached a spot that struck a chord. The bodies of her sister's security detail had been found shot to death in a secluded area just outside of New Orleans.

The pain in her chest was so intense that she could barely speak. "Fod took Sophie?"

_Pregnant pause_

"The FBI has assigned a task force, headed up by an agent by the name of Lance. I've arranged for you to have a conference call with her. She'll explain everything; answer any of your questions."

Brody closed the file before pushing it away and pulling to her feet. "Why couldn't the two of you answer my questions instead of lying to me for months?" she asked calmly as Pride put his hands up in defense.

"For the record, Christopher didn't have anything to do with this. It was all me. He was just following my orders."

Brody's gaze shifted, cutting her eyes at LaSalle. "Somehow, I doubt that. "


	10. Stop Playing The Hero!

**A/N: I know this story has become like the Cinderella step-child of my collection, so I don't blame those of you who have forgotten about it. But if you are still interested, the muse recently came up with this. Picks up where chapter 9 left off. **

"Brody wait up!" Chris caught up with Brody just as she was unlocking her car. It had been a long and intense night and he wanted to see if she okay even if she wasn't speaking to him.

"I have nothing to say to you, Chris." She said dully as she slipped into the driver's seat.

Chris caught the door as she started to close it. "Just hear me out."

"What is it that you are going to say?" she demanded. "That you had no choice? Because you always have a choice. If Cade were-"

That's when Chris cut her off. "Accused of murder?" Though it had been several months before Brody's kidnapping, he clearly remembered how skeptical and indifferent Brody had been when it came to looking at all of the evidence. Between Brody and Pride, he'd never felt so alone in his entire life.

"That's not the same thing!"

"It sure as hell is."

"Ok, for argument sake let's say that it is and you didn't tell me about Sophie because you wanted to get back at me."

LaSalle's face went all screwy. "What?"

Now, she was being just plain unreasonable. Reaching into the car, he yanked the keyless start from her hands and chucked it across the asphalt.

"What the hell?" Brody's big dark eyes went wide as she pulled to her feet, ready to fight.

Chris got right in her face. "I'm not the bad guy here!"

Instead of giving him the reaction he was expecting, Brody spoke calmly but kept an edge to her voice. "This is my sister's life and you kept that from me."

Chris started to place his hands on her shoulders, but then pulled back, curling his hands into fists. "I was trying to find her, that's why I left last night. I had a lead… I thought if I could-

Brody cut him off, "Find Sophie without involving me that would somehow make you the hero?"

"What?" She was just grasping at straws, trying to use anything in her power to hurt him. "You've got it all wrong."

Brody put her hands up. "You know what? It's been a long night, I'm tired and angry and I really need time to process this. So if you wouldn't mind, stepping aside so that I can get to my key-"

Chris did one better, he knelt down and picked it up, placing it into her hand.

"Thank you." She clipped trying to sound cold and indifferent as she got into her car.

"You're Welcome." He sighed watching her drive off.

Chris walked back inside the building wondering what he had done that was so wrong. Yes, he understood her anger over him not being able to tell her about her sister, but couldn't she see that his hands were tied? And what about tonight? He had nearly had his throat slit trying to get information about where her sister was being held captive.

She could be so stubborn sometimes.

Walking over to the plasma screen, Chris punched in the number for FBI Agent Gina Lance.

"Agent LaSalle? What can I do for you?"

"I've got a proposition for ya."

Agent Lance listened carefully as Chris relayed the information that he'd given about Sophie from Ross P's contact. It sounded like it could be viable until LaSalle decided to sweeten the deal. The assassin that Chris had killed while trying to save Brody also happened to be Adkom Fod's brother in-law. LaSalle was certain there had be a bounty on his head somewhere within Fod's organization for it. Maybe he could use that to draw Fod out of hiding.

Agent Lance shook her head. "I cannot allow you to do that."

"Then, I know someone who can."

* * *

"Do you have a death wish, LaSalle?" Jethro Leroy Gibbs looked like he wanted to slap the younger agent upside the head as they spoke via the plasma screen.

"I'm thinking that the FBI has had this case for months and hasn't done a dang thing about it so why don't we?"

Gibbs made a face, "I'm not disagreeing with you about that."

"The guy I talked to last night has a way to communicate with Fod's organization. If we can get him to work with us, then we might have a way in."

Gibbs looked skeptical. "Correct me, if I'm wrong but didn't this guy just try to slit your throat?"

"Uh…"

Gibbs picked up a rolled newspaper and hit the screen. "Pride, what do you think of all this?"

Pride looked at his surrogate son, what Chris was proposing was risky, a gamble at best. "I think Christopher has a point. If everything were to fall into place it could work to our advantage."

Brody appeared, "What could work to our advantage?" she asked, nodding to the figure on the plasma screen. "Gibbs."

"Agent LaSalle came up with a plan to get a location on your sister." Gibbs replied after returning the greeting.

Brody gave Chris a curt glance. "Has he?"

After receiving a quick briefing from Gibbs and Pride Brody met LaSalle in the locker area, "I thought I told you I don't need you playing the hero."

LaSalle shut his locker and set his bag on the bench. "Look, I'm not trying to gain anything from this. Like it or not, you and I are family. Families help each other out."

"They also don't keep things from one another!" Brody countered icily.

Chris got right up in the face, "You'd rather go in there and let Fod, take another crack at you? Well, then be my guest."

Brody started to shrink, kicking herself for being so cowardice but his words were absolutely terrifying. The thought of being near Fod or any of his people made her want to curl up and cry. Whether or not she would acknowledge it, she hadn't healed yet.

Everything Chris had done to try and help had just been blown to pieces by the sheer power of his words. How was this possible? Why was it that she was still so weak? God, she really hated him right now for making her feel so frightened and fragile.

Chris looked at her with indifference. He hated doing this to her, but he needed her to see that she wasn't ready. He also wanted to her realize that he would walk through hell for her if it meant she could have her sister back. But if a glare could cast daggers he was certain he'd be dead right now.

Still motivated by her anger and fear, she watched his back as he picked up his bag and walked out.


	11. Bait and Switch

**A/N:Thank you for the reviews and to those who just choose to read. Here's a little bit more.**

The following evening, Brody stood in the back of the conference room with her arms crossed over her chest listening as Chris briefed the reinforcements that Director Vance had sent in to help find her sister. She didn't want to admit it, but the boy from Bama was a natural when it came to strategy. It was easy to see why Pride had chosen him to take over the city one day.

Gibbs appeared at her side with a vendor purchased coffee in hand. "You've got a pretty great partner there."

Brody glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Normally, she would have agreed but at the moment, she didn't think he was so great. "What makes you say that? Because, he knows how to talk to crowd of people?"

"Because he's the guy who's willing to do anything for anyone to get the job done."

Brody rolled her eyes while Gibbs looked down into his cup.

"You should have seen him when you were missing."

"Trust me, I've seen LaSalle in action many times. He isn't always this charming."

Gibbs tossed his cup into a nearby trashcan. He wasn't used to see Brody in such a foul mood. "Did you and LaSalle have a falling out or something, because the last time I was here the two of you seemed pretty close."

"It's a trust issue. He kept something from me."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow before walking up front to join Pride and LaSalle. "Fix it now, otherwise you won't be able to do your job."

"Our person of interest is this guy, Diaab Hassan. He's been a member of Fod's organization since 1991 and presently lives here in the states. Until recently, his main job was running the human trafficking operation, but a slip up in 2001 earned him a 15 year sentence in the Louisiana State Penitentiary where he severed 12 of those years and was released in 2013. Since then he's been working as a dock worker on the riverfront, while keeping in touch with Fod's people. He's currently a person of interest in 3 cases involving missing persons." LaSalle explained. "We believe he is now working his way up the chain as a hitman and bounty hunter for Fod."

When Chris was finished, Pride began to delve out the assignments. "Gibbs and I will be up front, Agent Borin and her team will take the south end of the riverfront, and Brody you're with LaSalle."

"I thought LaSalle was the bait?" Brody tossed out.

"He is." Pride answered. "Your job is to provide cover."

* * *

"Whose turn is it to drive?" Brody asked, as she walked along side LaSalle to the Expedition.

"Yours," he handed her keys and then climbed into the passenger's side of the cab while Brody took the driver's seat.

A long stretch of silence loomed between them as they made their way to the meeting site. "How do know this throat slitting contact of yours isn't going to put a bullet into your head before he delivers you to Hassan?"

"Trust me, he won't." LaSalle said looking distantly out the window as Brody launched a counter attack.

"Forgive me, but trusting you, is a little hard to do right now." She still wasn't ready to let this go.

LaSalle looked at her. "Listen, I'm sorry about yesterday. It was the wrong thing to say." He shouldn't have pushed her back into the dark place that he'd tried to so hard to pull her out of. It was stupid and he regretted it.

Brody said nothing until they reached their destination site. "Do you have your com?"

"Not wearing one," he replied reaching for the door handle.

"Chris," Brody's hand shot out, touching his left forearm. She understood the idea of using him as bait but going in without a way to communicate meant she'd have to keep her eyes on him at all times.

He looked down at her hand on his arm. "It's gotta look real."

"But what if?" She couldn't get the rest of the words out. The thought was just too inconceivable.

He smiled easily at her, "You'll find a way to get me back."

Brody swallowed back her fear as he stepped out of the car and met the two men the contact had assigned to deliver him to Fod's people. Her heart started to pound as they patted him down, searching for any sign of a weapon or a wire. Now, she understood why he wasn't wearing the com. They would have killed him on the spot. Her stomach began to flip flop, they were binding his hands. They placed a black hood over his head. She felt a catch in her throat as he was shoved into the backseat of a dark colored sedan that had no license plates and blackout windows. She wasn't sure if it was her anger dissolving or the fact that she was just plain in love with him but suddenly she didn't want him to do this.

"Brody, what's your status?" Pride's voice filled her com jerking out her emotional revelation.

"LaSalle's in a black sedan, heading for the waterfront. I've got him in my sight."

Hanging back, she stayed at a safe distance giving Pride her coordinates every time there was a change. Everything seemed to be going according to plan until a large delivery truck ran a red light, entering the intersection Brody was about to cross, forcing her to slam on the breaks.

"Pride, there's a truck in my way! I l can't see him!" Brody had a sickening feeling that the truck was plant and that the contact had just betrayed them.

"We'll try to pick him up as the come up First Street!" Pride's voice came back.

Brody swerved around the truck but the sedan was nowhere in sight. If they were sticking to the plan they couldn't have gotten that far ahead of her. Pressing down on the accelerator, she sped down the planned route. They were nowhere in sight. Doubling back, she did a quick check of the side streets and circled back around. Still nothing.

"Brody they're coming back your way!" Pride's voice shouted.

Brody sat waiting on one of the side streets until the sedan was back in her sight. "I see it!"

Taking a cue from the truck, she disarmed her airbag and waited until they were just about in her crosshairs and laid down on the accelerator, clipping the front end of the driver's side. Jumping from the vehicle, she pulled her weapon.

"Get your hands up!" she snarled noting that there was only one man driving the vehicle where before it had been two. Somewhere along the line they had made a switch.

It was their P.O.I, Diaab Hassan.

Panting, she spoke into her com. "Pride, I have Hassan."

The five minutes she had to wait for Pride to arrive seemed like an eternity.

"We'll cover him. You get LaSalle!"

Anxiety flooded her, as she circled around the car and flung open the back door to the passenger's side. LaSalle was lying on his side in the floorboard.

"Chris!" Reaching for his elbow she pulled him upright and yanked the hood off of his head. For a moment she was afraid she was going to find someone else "Are you okay?"

"Fine." He answered as she worked the zip ties at his hands. She then offered him a hand up as Pride shouted out to him.

"Nice work, Christopher."

* * *

Brody waited with baited breath as Pride interrogated Hassan. They'd been at it for several hours not but so far the Senior Agent had no luck in getting Hassan to reveal Fod's location.

"I want to be in there." Brody grumbled as Chris appeared at her side.

Chris offered her a small smile. "Pride'll get him to talk."

Brody turned away from the window hugging her upper arms. "What if he doesn't?"

Chris' strong hands fell to her shoulders, kneading them gently. "You just need to have a little faith."

"Faith, huh?" She turned around, smiling at him. "Is that what you always rely on?"

"It doesn't hurt," Chris shrugged as she continued to stare up at him until they both started to speak at the same time.

"I uh…"

"You go ahead," Chris offered.

"Wow, this is hard for me, especially after some of the things I've said, but thank you." She was about to say more when they heard Hassan finally begin to give up a location somewhere off the coast of the Baltic Sea with the promise he would be spared prosecution.

In no time, a U.S. NAVY SEAL Team was dispatched. The waiting continued for another six hours until finally the call came in.

"They found her!" Gibbs announced, "alive and relatively unharmed. They're transporting her to a safe house now."

"And Fod?" Pride dared to ask.

"No sign of him. Someone must have tipped him off that they were coming."

"Damn it," Pride's fist hit the table. Without the capture of Fod, that left an opening for the vicious cycle to start over again. None of them were safe.

Gibbs touched Chris on the shoulder. "You're more than likely going to get a commendation for this." He said watching as sprint of heat began to crawl up the younger agent's neck.

"I'm not much into personal recognition." Chris returned, modestly. Great something else for Brody use against him in her so called hero crusade.

"Just the same, Director Vance will probably be calling you."

"Thanks for the heads up." Chris replied as the two men shook.

* * *

**24 hours later…**

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Gibbs asked. "The plane is leaving in two hours." He was able to arrange for Brody to be granted special permission from WITSEC to visit her sister while she recovered from her trauma.

"Thank you," Brody smiled largely at him before heading off to find LaSalle.

Chris had just stepped into the courtyard outside of his house when Brody met him. Her excited smile told him something was up.

"Should I ask?"

"Gibbs, arranged for me to spend a couple of days with Sophie while she recovers." She said, still smiling.

Chris flashed his famous grin but kept his distance. He still wasn't sure where they stood. "That's great, I'm happy for you."

Brody let her smile fade a bit as the uncomfortable tension set began to set in. "Would mind, watching Daisy while I'm gone?" with the last minute travel plans there wasn't time to put the pup in a kennel.

"Wouldn't mind at all." He replied stepping towards the small round table, where a premade bouquet of flowers wrapped in tissue paper sat.

"Flowers?" Brody's heart sank as he picked them up. It was then she realized he looked like he was going out on a date.

"They're for Addie."

"Lt. Addy Watkins?" Brody questioned. She hadn't seen Addy since before her kidnapping. She knew that Addie had been very instrumental in helping Chris pinpoint the location where Fod had held her captive but to her knowledge they hadn't spoken since.

"Yeah, she just got back from deployment this afternoon and since she doesn't have any family here I thought I'd take her out to dinner. Sort of a welcome home, so she doesn't have to be alone."

Brody's face fell slightly. "Oh…well…I won't keep you then." She said as his phone rang.

Chris gave her a wink and wave as he answered. "LaSalle here."

Slowly, Brody started to walk away. She was almost at the gate when she stopped. "Damn it," she hissed. Turning on heel, she marched straight back to him and ripped the phone out of his hand in mid-sentence.

"He'll call you back," she said ending the call.

Chris looked at her like she lost her mind. "Hey, that was-"

Brody didn't give him a chance to finish. Snaking her hand around his neck, she kissed him hard.

It took him a couple of seconds to register what was happening, but once Chris relaxed, the kiss to find its rhythm. He placed his hands on her hips as they continued to kiss until Brody felt her point had been made.

"That was Director Vance," he said when she finally pulled away.

Rose colored blossoms started to bloom on her face. "Oh…well…give…him…my regards," she said as she turned away.

LaSalle dipped his head chuckling. He supposed they would have to talk when she got back.

"Hey Chris," she called out to him, earning his attention. "Have a nice dinner with Addie."


	12. Conclusion

**A/N: Thank you to my guest reviewers. I'm glad everyone liked the "Have a nice dinner line," in the last chapter.** **I think this is going to be end of the line for this little adventure.**

How rude was it to think about another woman when you were sitting across from your gorgeous date? At one time, Chris LaSalle seriously considered Addie Watkins more than just a friend. On Christmas Eve, Addie had brightened his holiday when he'd been feeling especially low about Cade.

He tried to be attentive when Addie started in on her deployment stories and how her team had successfully managed to identify a group of insurgents who had attacked a Marine battalion in the valley. But tonight all he could think about was Brody and the feel of her kiss on his lips. He had every right to be mad at her, but damn it he just couldn't.

He was so thankful that his hunch to locate her sister had paid off. It was completely worth almost having his throat slit. What it hadn't been worth however was trying to keep Pride's secret from her. Even though he had done the right thing from a work perspective, it had cost him big. But at least Brody seemed to be a little more forgiving about it. Maybe when she returned from whatever place WITSEC had dropped Sophie in they could on resolving things.

"Chris? Addie prodded as she noticed he'd drifted from the conversation.

"Huh?"

Addie let out a laugh. "I asked if you were dating anyone."

Chris took a pull from his beer. "Sorry."

Mm...Addie smiled, picking up her wine glass. "Whoever she is she is very lucky."

Chris smiled easily at her. "Is it that obvious?" He asked before launching into a full-fledged apology. He felt pretty stupid admitting he was in love with someone else to the woman he had flirted with relentlessly for over a year.

"You don't have to apologize," Addie smiled back. "So, how's Brody?" The last time the pretty LT had seen the agent was the night of her kidnapping when the three of them were having dinner together.

Chris knew Addy wasn't just asking as a nicety. She was referring to the kidnapping.  
"She's comin' along." She still had a few things to work on like her fear of water.

"She's a tough girl."

"That she is." Chris grinned taking another pull.

* * *

Seventy-Two hours later, Brody was on a plane headed home for New Orleans, feeling more comfortable than she had in months. Her sister was safe, her nightmares were diminishing, and she had the promise that LaSalle would be waiting for her when she got home. Though she hadn't spoken to him since she'd left to visit Sophie, she was fairly certain that he'd gotten her message that she still wanted to be with him loud and clear.

She glanced at the clock as she walked into the house. It was a little after 9 pm. It was still early she reasoned deciding on spending some quality time with Daisy before jumping into the shower. Though she didn't really need one she wanted to look her best for Chris when she met him at the piano bar or their place as she had dubbed it. If she was lucky she might be able to entice him into a game of "pool". But then again she'd been pretty rude to him lately and although they had shared a kiss he might not think too kindly to her turning her feelings on and off whenever she felt slighted. She still owed him a big apology.

And she intended to give him one if he would let her.

Brody was already sitting at bar when LaSalle walked in, taking the seat beside her. I'll have whatever she's drinkin'. He said with a grin. It was one of those rare occasions where she had chosen his favorite beer. Picking up a pretzel he popped it into his mouth taking a moment to size her up. She had on the same dress she wore the night he'd called her a whore. Had she purposely chosen it to show how far apart they were or how far she'd come since that night?

"So?" He said meeting her chocolate irises.

"So," Brody repeated smiling down into her glass.

Chris looked away as the bartender delivered his drink. "How was your trip?"

"It was good." She answered taking a gentle pull from her own beverage. That was all she was allowed to say. WITSEC had taken certain measures to ensure that not even Brody knew where Sophie was currently being housed. "How was your dinner with Addy?"

Of course she was going to ask about that Chris thought taking a pull of his own. "She's fine, glad to be back home."

"Are you going to see her again?" Brody asked, not wasting anytime. If Chris still had feelings for the pretty lieutenant, she needed to know before she made a fool of herself.

"It depends," he answered teasingly watching her eyes widen in uncertainty.

"On..."

"I think you know." Chris gave her a stern glance.

Damn it. He was actually going to make her say it. Her eyes dropped as she garnered up the courage to form the words. I'm sorry didn't feel like it would be enough. Turning into, him she started to speak only to have LaSalle flank the side of her face.

"I was never mad at ya, Michigan." He said before he molded his mouth to hers. Brody held onto his wrist as they started to kiss, praying she wouldn't fall off the barstool. She wished they were someplace else. She purposely, kept her eyes closed a little longer than she had to when the kiss ended, savoring the feel of his lips against hers. So, far things were working out perfectly.

"Nice counter strategy, Alabama." She quipped as she watched him pick up his beer.

"That was for interrupting my phone call with Director Vance."

"How'd that go by the way?" She teased.

"I can't talk about it," Chris returned. He'd received the commendation Gibbs had mentioned but it was one of those types that he'd never see due to the fact that everything that had to do with Sophia Ann Brody-Fod was classified.

"I'm proud of you." Brody said causing him to look away. She knew he wasn't the type to harbor on personal recognition but it was fun to watch him try to hold in his signature grin. "You wanna get out of here?" She added when she was finished torturing him.

"I thought you'd never ask," he quipped taking her hand as she slid off of the barstool. Hand in hand they walked out of the bar and down the alleyway towards their respective vehicles. They were halfway down the alley when Chris suddenly stopped and pressed her up against the brick wall. He ran his hands through her chin length hair, as he kissed her with wild abandon. Her hair had grown out so much in last couple of months. It was Brody's effort to separate herself from the woman who had been kidnapped and tortured by Fod.

Brody tilted her head back as his lips brushed the tender skin of her neck. When she suggested that they leave she'd had a more intimate place in mind, but the alleyway worked for the moment. When they got home she would show him exactly how sorry she was for mistrusting his choice to side with Pride. She found herself letting out strangled moan as his lips tickled her ear lobe. Softly, he started to whisper something in her ear.

"I got this idea."

"Do you?" Suggestively, Brody brought her knee up into him prompting the smitten agent to grab a hold of her thigh.

"What do say we go skinny dippin'?"

"WHAT?" Brody brought the heel of her shoe right down on his foot.

"Ow!" he chuckled.

She lifted her fearful looking eyes up to him. How could he suggest something like that? He knew she wasn't ready. She could barely get through a five minute shower without having an anxiety attack.

Chris placed his hands on either side of her face hoping to quell the fear that was threatening to ruin their moment. "Bubble bath?" He kissed her softly. "I promise. I'll be with you the whole time." He would love her so much that she would forget everything she feared.

Brody raised an eyebrow before she consented to return the peck. The idea of a bubble bath was a little more tolerable but she still feared she wouldn't be able to get through it. "Kiss me some more and I'll think about it." She said huskily wrapping her arms around his neck. If nothing else, she would sway him away from anything that had to do with water.

For several moments they kissed until Brody felt an ominous presence surround them. Opening one eye, she saw one of Fod's minions, standing behind LaSalle yielding a knife.

"CHRIS!" she yelled, breaking out of the kiss.

LaSalle started to turn but was quickly rendered helpless as the knife came plunging into his back.

"ARGH!"

Brody screamed as Chris fell into her pinning her to the wall as the terrorist struck him again and again. She heard Chris let out a pained wheeze. The blade had hit a lung. Doing the only thing she could, Brody reached around his waist and pulled out his P229 from the holster at his belt. For whatever reason Chris was always carrying and at the moment it was going to be lifesaving. Firing blindly, she managed to hit their assailant in the stomach. It didn't kill him but it was enough to make him back off. Brody fired two more times, ensuring that he would no longer be a threat. When she was certain he was dead she dropped the gun and wrapped her arms around Chris.

"Hold on," she choked, "just hold on."

She held onto LaSalle until his dead weight started to pull them both down. Slowly, they sank together to the asphalt. Brody got on her knees, cradling his head in her lap as he started to cough up blood. "Stay with me, Chris!" She choked before grabbing for her cell phone and dialing 911.

"Don't leave me," she pleaded placing her hands on his cheeks as his eyelids started to droop. She was afraid if they closed that he would never open them again. "Look at me," she commanded. "Help is on the way." She watched him as he struggled to focus on her. "C'mon Bama Boy, you know how much I need you don't you?" She was crying now. Long streaks of tears were streaming down her face.

What was taking so long? Still cupping his face, she watched him blink, and momentarily focus on her. "That's it! You can do this," Brody sobbed as he had an instant of clarity that made her think he was going to pull through.

"You're going to be fine, Chris. Do you hear me? You're going to be just fine."

But he was struggling so hard to just breathe that keeping his eyes open for even just a moment was too much.

"I love you, Chris. I love you so much." She whimpered as he drifted off.

"Chris?"

"CHRIS !" she was screaming now. For a moment she didn't recognize the sound of her voice. This wasn't happening. They had a bubble bath to take. He'd promised he'd stay with her. He would never leave her, ever. She loved him. She wouldn't allow it to end this way.

"Pl-please… do-don't leave me, just…stay, "She hiccupped rocking him in her arms as she realized there was nothing left that she could do, except strike back at the man who had caused her so much torment and pain.

Gently, she kissed his forehead. "Stay with me, I can't do this without you."

**A/N: Tissue anyone? And please don't hate me for ending it this way. The third story of this trilogy will be up ASAP and will focus on things becoming full circle for Brody as she attempts to take down Fod. **


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